


Fall Away

by thenocturnals



Series: Fade Away [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternative Universe - Modern Setting, Detective AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 15:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4268352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenocturnals/pseuds/thenocturnals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to 'Fade Away', following a month after, can be read as separate. James just got out of hospital and the aftermath while Sirius went back to the Yard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fall Away

**Author's Note:**

> Wonderful Beta by Sasha123cof, once again, I'm grateful. Remaining errors are all mine.  
>  \- This work is available in Chinese[](http://koki1105.lofter.com/post/1d005cc0_10cf5058) thanks to cass0701.

 

 

He pressed pause and the music stopped. “Thank god, finally.” muttered from the back.  
  
  
Sirius pressed another button and then the player slid open. He took out a CD. The set-list and a name were scribbled on.  
  
  
_As requested, Max. xx._  
  
  
He supposed it was a mixed CD, fairly old school now. He took it down where it belonged and moved onto the next. There were framed pictures on the mantelpiece, mostly with families and friends, all smiling and waving towards the camera. People smile in the pictures. It never changed. He turned around.  
  
  
Forensics were taking pictures, collecting evidences and there were uniforms and casual detectives walking around the scene. The victim had hanged himself in the living room, right where Sirius stood. Some uniforms carefully took down the body from the ceiling and laid him on the couch. M.E. found signs of asphyxia in his eyes. The rope the victim made out of bed sheets was tight enough to hang him for a whole day.  
  
  
It was well-staged crime scene, clever if he was asked. According to DCI, a friend of the victim came for visit; found the body and called it in. If it wasn't her, the body would have never been found until decayed. M.E. matched the patterns of the rope with the ones on the neck. She said there was a sign of struggle but doubted that it was a homicide. She would know more at the morgue.  
  
  
He then went into to another room. Another body was lying on the bed, the victim's friend and flat mate. He was covered under the sheet so if it wasn't for the gunshot wound on his left chest, anyone would think he was sleeping. M.E. said he was shot right where he was found; judging from the blood from the chest, he was either sleeping or it was unexpected.  
  
  
The wound was 22-caliber; the same one with the revolver registered to the other victim. Forensics had almost finished in the bedroom and had moved onto the other rooms. M.E. put the bodies onto the cart and left the scene with some people. After that, the flat looked hollowed.  
  
  
“So?” said James. He rubbed his cheek with the back of his hands and rolled down the sleeves. It was an unconscious thing, obviously, to cover the bruises and the needle marks on his wrists, but it was unnecessary since the jumper was long enough to cover both of his hands.  
  
  
Sirius brought some of his own clothes with him yesterday, and James liked the cream-colored jumper. He said it was comfy and smelled like clean, soap and cigarette.  
  
  
“So what was it?”  
  
  
“It was a murder-suicide.” answered Sirius.  
  
  
M.E. handed the note in the evidence bag, confessing the murder and the suicide. Sirius voiced the possibility of staged double-homicide. M.E. showed the gunshot residues on the hanged victim, and DCI said the note was found right next to the murder weapon. It was simple as that, just another murder-suicide case. Of course, James pointed that out.  
  
  
“This isn’t your division.”  
  
  
"The victim's parents were old friends of inspector. They called him. And-"  
  
  
"He called you," James finished the sentence for him.  
  
  
"That's why you were late?"  
  
  
Sirius didn’t answer that. He just tapped the wheel a few times. Rush hour around this time was madness.  
  
  
Sirius left the scene to tell the news to the victim's family. They were all sitting in the living room, listening how their sons were found dead, killed another and committed suicide. The murdered victim's fiancé was there too. She was the one who called it in. I don't understand. _Why._ She kept saying it over and over again, crying. _He was a good person. I don't understand why he did such a horrible thing._  
  
  
In the note, there was no word to indicate the motive, just an apology to both of the families and friends. Statements they got from the door duties weren't any better. Victims paid the rent on time, never made any troubles, were great tenants and neighbors, and always looked happy and in good terms. Sirius asked the same technical questions to the family. _When was the last time you saw him? Were there any changes to his behavior recently?_ And the answers were just about the same. _Two days ago. No, if there was I didn't notice them. We had dinner here and he went back to his flat. It wasn’t any better._ What really helped the case was the acquaintance.  
  
  
The case was closed as murder-suicide. Sirius went to the funerals this morning and answered the family's remaining questions. The victims were in a relationship. On the exterior, they looked like friends but weren’t really. One got engaged a few weeks ago, calling the relationship off and the other couldn't handle the breakup. That was the reason he committed this crime. Sirius stood in the middle of their living room, telling this story, and offered his consolation. He brought them the worst day of their lives and now he would be remembered as the one who gave them the second worst day. Sirius repeated the same thing he told them at first and always. _I'm sorry for your loss._  
  
  
However, that wasn’t the reason why he couldn't make it on time to James' discharge. He left the funeral by noon. He went back to the yard to take on another case. He was late because he got trapped in the traffic and could not get out of it fast enough. There was no particular excuse other than that. When Sirius got to the hospital, to the room, James was all packed and ready to go.  
  
  
He didn't ask why Sirius was late; instead he picked up the bag, and said, “Shall we?”  
  
  
“The car’s in the lot.”

 

Sirius had to sign some papers at the desk. And there they went and left the hospital. James threw the bag in the back and got into the passenger’s seat. They drove down to the city.  
  
  
James was in bed for little over a month. For that time, Sirius took three murder cases, two armed robberies and a domestic violence. He was either at the Yard or chasing the suspects down city days and some nights. Between those, Sirius came to visit James to the hospital. When the visitor's hour was done, he went back to the Yard and worked, and the cycle went on and on. Sirius went right home when the case was done, but couldn't stay for long, taking another case.  
  
  
So when they arrived at the flat, James didn't expect it to have been cleaned. He voiced his thoughts and Sirius just answered, saying that it it was no big deal. He had cleaning services coming over once a week.  
  
  
James sat on the couch while Sirius took the coat off and neatly folded it in half. James, as usual, asked for a tea, even though he knew he shouldn't. Sirius went to the kitchen and got him a bottle of water instead. It was just like this at the hospital too. Sirius provided him what he needed when he needed. He stayed until the call came in. James took the bottle and took a few pills down in a gulp. It was bitter as always.  
  
  
James couldn’t go home because he didn’t have it - anymore. There weren’t much choice. He could have stayed in the hospital a little more or gotten a hotel room. Gunshot wounds were all stitched up but it still hurt like hell.  
  
  
Sirius asked, “Do you need anything else?”  
  
  
Yes, indeed. James took him by the hand and pulled him down. Sirius swayed at a sudden movement but grabbed the back of the couch to gain balance. The kiss lasted for seconds.  
  
  
The cell ringed. Sirius stepped back but James didn’t let him go until he licked his lips one last time. Sirius reached the phone and took the call. _DC Black._ James wasn’t able to hear what the other side said at that distance but not like he couldn’t guess. Sirius hung up and took the coat.  
  
  
“I should go.”  
  
  
“A case?” asked James. Sirius nodded. “Have a safe trip.” James waved.  
  
  
Sirius opened the front door and said, “Don’t forget to lock the door.”

 


End file.
